Being able to control your camera’s focus is one of the most important aspects to becoming a better photographer.

Not many factors can wreck a photo quicker than the subject being out of focus – yet learning to take control of Auto Focus is often glossed over by new photographers.  Adjusting the Aperture and Shutter Speed certainly seem more “hands on” to making photos – but in reality the camera does a pretty good job getting the exposures right.  Even when it misses it doesn’t miss by much and that can often be adjusted for the better during post processing.  Missed focus however.. there’s no real fix for that. Continue Reading →

Hi Ben! I am not, nor will ever pretend to be, on par with the kind of photography you are capable of but I try. :-) That being said, is there a general setting on most SLR cameras where you can get the focus on your main subject while essentially blurring the rest of the background? A good example of what I mean is the rodeo clown photo you posted… Unfortunately my fancy camera’s skills are often beyond MY basic capabilities. Thanks for any input!

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Photo by Bennie Davis

One common mistake that new photographers make is to focus too much of their attention on the subject and not enough on the background.

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So that new DSLR sports a helpful pop-up flash eh?  Let’s throw that “helpful” idea right out the window..  That little flash is probably responsible for ruining more pictures than any other feature of the camera.

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Let’s begin this journey by looking at where we want to finish.  If you’re aiming to get better vacation/family photos and simply buying that fancy new DSLR didn’t do the trick, then you’re at the right place.  Just know that among all those buttons and switches, there isn’t a secret magic one that makes your pictures better.  Learning to take better photographs is a long process, but we’ll get you moving quickly! Continue Reading →

I’d like to help others make better pictures.  I am by no means an all-knowing photographer (are there any?) – so keep that in mind.  But I’ve taken it upon myself to understand what’s going on behind the scenes once that shutter button is pressed.  I’ve found that this allows me to put complicated concepts into simple terms that people can understand.   I grew up using film and spending countless hours in the darkroom.  That experience has certainly helped my digital photography.  So if you have a digital camera and you are  terrified to move it from that safety blanket of that green “Auto” mode.. this is for you. Continue Reading →